Page 84 of Cruel Russian Pakhan
I let her pace since it helped burn off some of the nervous energy. When we finally heard Jaroslav’s voice in the hallway announcing their arrival, Katya bolted.
I stepped into the hall just in time to see her shove poor Jaroslav aside like a linebacker, rushing straight into the arms of her sisters.
I walked up to the cluster of crying women.
“Vera. Kira. Welcome to my home.”
They pulled away from Katya just enough to face me.
“Lev,” Vera said, wiping at her eyes. “Thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome.”
Katya disentangled herself just long enough to throw her arms around me and press a kiss to my lips. Then she turned back to her sisters, linking arms with them and guiding them toward the lounge.
“I can’t believe Katya pushed me aside like that,” Jaroslav muttered in mock offense.
I chuckled. “Next time, walk behind the ladies, not in front of them.”
Jaroslav shook his head as I clapped him on the shoulder.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s head to the office. We’ve got deals to discuss, and a few men to break for information.”
***
Two months passed in the blink of an eye. Vera and Kira had visited four times, but they stayed in constant touch with Katya through text messages, video calls, voice notes. Every time her phone lit up with one of their names, so did her face.
And every time they left, my once-quiet house felt too damn quiet.
The last time they visited, Katya invited Ninel and Mariya, too. The house was filled with chatter and laughter, with energy I didn’t even realize it needed. It had been chaotic, but beautiful.
Now, Katya lay beside me, tracing slow, lazy patterns across my chest with her fingertips. We’d just made love, and this, this right here, was my favorite part of the day; the quiet after the chaos.
“Hey,” she said softly. “What are you thinking about?”
“You,” I replied honestly.
I’d meant to tell her I loved her two months ago, but then everything happened—her abduction, the fallout, Artyom’s threats. The timing had never been right. And now?
Now she was glowing. Happy. Safe. But the thought of Artyom discovering Vera and Kira’s visits twisted my gut. It wasn’t just about us anymore. It was about them. About the life growing inside her.
Yes, I loved Katya. I loved her in my bed, in my house, with my ring on her finger and my child in her belly.
But maybe…just maybe…I wasn’t all she needed.
She shifted beside me, propping herself up and clutching the sheet to her chest. “Lev,” she said gently. “Talk to me.”
I stared at the ceiling for a long moment before turning to her.
“I see how happy you are with your sisters. And it’s made me realize something…I’ve been selfish. Every time they visit, they risk their lives. It’s not fair. They make you smile in a waythat…” I hesitated, forcing the words past the lump in my throat. “Maybe it’s better…easier…for you to live with them. To be with your family in their space. They love you. They miss you.”
I swallowed again.
And I love you, too.
Katya looked up at me with those oceanic eyes that always seemed to drown out everything else around me. She leaned forward, slowly, and placed her palm against the side of my face. I leaned into her touch instinctively.
“Lev,” she whispered, her voice laced with emotion, “you are my family.”
